Two methods are available for processing dimensions: rebuilding a dimension’s structure and incrementally updating a dimension. These methods are used within the Process a Dimension dialog box, which is displayed when you right-click a shared dimension in the OLAP Manager tree view and then click Process.
The rebuild the dimension structure option re-creates and loads the dimension. This processing option is required after:
Important When a shared dimension is processed with the rebuild the dimension structure option, all cubes that incorporate the shared dimension immediately become unavailable to users and must be processed before they can be used again.
Caution If a shared dimension’s structure is edited and saved but not processed, it will automatically be processed when any cube incorporating the dimension is processed. At that time any other cubes that incorporate the dimension immediately become unavailable to users and must be processed before they can be used again.
The incremental update processing option updates a dimension when new members have been added but no structural changes have been made. For example, you add new customer records to the customer dimension table. A cube that incorporates a shared dimension remains available to users while the dimension is incrementally updated, and the added dimension members are available in the cube after the update is complete.